Ricardo Ballesteros was sleeping with the open window on a warm night when suddenly some cats started fighting and rolled over him. He thanks Saint Francis for nothing serious happened and he was only frightened.

Jasinto Perez loved to dance with my pig Casilda every morning. But she stepped on my callus so I can’t dance anymore.

Toluca, August 23, 1939

I thank the Virgin of Guadalupe because at night she gives wings to me and to my cat, so we fly together over the towns and fields. These night flights calm me down, and my problems seem less serious to me the day after.

My life was very sad and unhappy. I had no job or anything to call my own. I thank Saint John Bosco with this retablo because one day my remote uncle whom I didn’t even remember left me a big inheritance completely changing my life. Now my devoted dog Fido and I are enjoying the pleasures of life.

Rogaciano Buendia
Guadalajara, Jalisco

A crocodile got in the house, and I tried to chase him away with a broom. But my sister got a better idea of spraying insecticide in its snout. Because of the sound of the spray or just because of its bad taste—since some of it got in its mouth—but the crocodile decided to go away. We thank the Virgin of San Juan for the beast didn’t bite us.

I’m a big fan of selfies. The other day, I went to the zoo and thought it’d be cool to make a selfie with a lion and upload it on Facebook without realizing how dangerous it could be to have a lion so close. I bring this retablo to Saint Anthony the Great because thank to my phone’s flash the giant cat got scared and didn’t do anything to me. I promise to be more responsible while making photos.

Alex Ríos
Monterrey, Nuevo León

The boat with me and my dog was carried away by the storm. I lost my oars, so we were left drifting. I almost lost the hope of surviving when Saint Barbara appeared as a giant wave. She threw us to the shore, and we arrived safely. I thank for that.

My son Luis befriended the monkeys that were coming to our patio. He used to spend all day climbing up the trees with them and learning their skills and tricks. He refused to eat anything but fruits. But thanks to the Virgin of Zapopan he finally met other kids and eventually forgot about those damned monkeys when he began to go to the school.

Some gentlemen from Jalapa had to come to buy my fighting roosters. But suddenly a crocodile that was hiding in the river came out and was about to eat my roosters. I thank the Virgin of Guadalupe because I was able to drove him back to the river with my broom and it didn’t eat my animals.

In the month of July, don Odilon Mendez was stung by a scorpion in the field. He implored the Virgin of Guadalupe for her divine help and in few days got recovered. He was back to his job as a tlachiquero—pulque gatherer. For such a great miracle, he dedicates this humble retablo.

Zapopan, Jalisco

I was coming back from the market and saw a pair of dogs that cornered two cats in an alley. The cats’ hair stood up, and they didn’t know where to run. I quickly grabbed them and ran away, and the dogs ran after us. I thank Saint Quiteria for we got into the church before the dogs attacked us. So I saved the cats, with the help of the saint to whom I dedicate this retablo.

We thank for the crocodile didn’t catch our piglet.

We thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for having guided us during our peyote trip in the desert in which we saw various wonders such as flowers of incandescent light and improbable animals that showed us the way and illuminated our path. We came back from this trip much wiser and more tolerant to the other human beings, and also more understanding.